In CWC meet, Congress outlines UPA's mission 300 for 2019 Lok Sabha elections

The extended CWC on Sunday authorised Congress president Rahul Gandhi to forge an alliance with like-minded parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha election to take on the BJP.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi speaks as party president Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh look on, at the Extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

NEW DELHI: The extended Congress Working Committee on Sunday authorised Congress president Rahul Gandhi to forge an alliance with like-minded parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha election to take on the BJP. From UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to former finance minister P Chidambaram, most of the Congress leaders emphasized on the need of a pre-poll alliance in their speech during the CWC meeting, sources said. While Sonia Gandhi said that that in order to save democracy the like-minded parties should come together leaving behind personal aspirations, P Chidambaram outlined a formula for the grand old party and its allies to win 300 seats. According to sources, Chidambaram, while giving a detailed presentation, said that under the current political situation Congress can improve its tally from 48 seats in 2014 to 150 seats in 2019, a three-fold increase. He highlighted that the Congress is strong in 12 states and with the help of its allies, it can forge a formidable front for the next general election, the source said. Chidambaram said if Congress can manage to get 150 seats on its own and its allies win another 150 seats then the UPA with 300 seats can wrest the power from the NDA. He also emphasized how the party could be strengthened with the help of allies in various states. Thirty-five to 40 leaders spoke at the meeting where they all stressed that the Congress should play a lead role in forging an anti-BJP front. Some leaders said Gandhi being the leader of the principal opposition party should be the face of the national alliance. Asked about party leaders wanting Gandhi to be the face of the alliance, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said, "Naturally, he is the leader of the main national (opposition) party and we would want our leader to be the face of the opposition alliance." The meeting was also attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who rejected the culture of constant self praise and 'jumlas' of the Prime Minister. This, Manmohan Singh said, stood against solid policy framework necessary for growth. Manmohan Singh pointed out that claim of doubling farm income by 2022 would require an agricultural growth rate of 14 per cent, which was nowhere in sight.